c/butchers

Took me 5 years to realize I was chilling my beef before grinding it wrong

Honestly, I used to toss whole chunks of beef straight from the walk-in into the grinder. Thought I was being efficient. Last month at a shop in Detroit I watched a guy cube his trimmings and spread them on a sheet tray in the freezer for 20 minutes before grinding. I asked him why and he said it keeps the fat from smearing. Tried it myself that weekend and my burgers went from mushy to actually holding together. All those years of greasy, dense patties when it was that simple. You see more butchers doing the partial freeze trick or is it just the old school guys?

TIL my bandsaw blade was on backwards for 3 months - half the shop saw it and nobody said anything

Had a butcher at a shop in Austin show me why I was wasting trim

I always threw out the beef fat cap on brisket, but this guy at La Barbeque in Austin said to keep most of it on until the stall. Tried it on a 12 pounder last weekend and the moisture difference was huge. Anyone else get schooled by a pitmaster on trimming?

I finally swapped my boning knife after 5 years of stubbornness

I always thought my old 6-inch curved boner was fine until a guy at the shop floor sharpened one of his knives and let me try it side by side on a pork shoulder. The difference in how cleanly it separated the fat from the muscle was night and day, and I felt like a fool for being cheap. Anyone else hold onto a tool way too long just because you're used to it?

Debate: Whole muscle vs. comminuted for burger blends - which actually holds up better?

I keep seeing people grind chuck into burgers and call it a day. But in my shop, I've been testing whole muscle blends for about 6 months now - using brisket point and short rib instead of standard chuck. The fat ratio hits different and the texture stays juicier on the flat top. On the flip side, my buddy swears comminuted (twice ground) is the only way because it binds tighter and doesn't fall apart on a grill. I've had more crumble issues with whole muscle on high heat myself. Anyone else tried both methods and found one consistently better? What's your go-to blend for a Saturday rush?

That chat with a retired butcher about whole lamb broke my brain

I was at the farmers market last Saturday and ran into this old timer who used to run a shop in Portland back in the 70s. We got to talking about whole lamb butchery and he told me he never bothered with the fancy frenching or tying that everyone does now. He just broke it down into like 8 basic cuts and called it done. Said customers back then knew what they were looking at and didn't need everything to look like a food magazine cover. It hit me different because I've been spending so much time trying to make every leg and rack look perfect for Instagram that I forgot the whole point is just getting good meat to people. He also showed me a trick for separating the shoulder using just the heel of your hand instead of a knife. Has anyone else had a moment where they realized they were overcomplicating things?

That fancy $200 band saw blade sharpener I bought

Back around 2015 I dropped about $200 on one of those electric band saw blade sharpeners you see in catalogs. Thought it would pay for itself in a year since I was sending blades out to a shop in Pittsburgh every few months. But honestly the thing never got the teeth consistent enough and I ended up snapping three blades in two weeks. I went back to the old hand file method my grandpa taught me. Has anyone else tried one of those machines and had it actually work out?

Am I the only butcher who spent years trimming fat the hard way?

For about 5 years at the shop in Austin, I was cutting every steak with the fat cap still thick because I thought that's what customers wanted. Then a retired butcher from Chicago came in last month and pointed out my ribeyes had too much hard fat left on, said it chews like rubber. Anybody else have that moment where a simple tip from an old timer changed how you trim for the rest of your career?

Just realized I've been deboning chicken thighs all wrong for 15 years

I was at a demo last month at the local meat lab in Portland (free workshop, highly recommend). The guy running it watched me for about 30 seconds and goes 'you're fighting the oyster, not following it.' Turns out I was digging into the meat instead of sliding the knife along the bone curve. All those years of hacking away and I could have saved 5 bucks a week in wasted meat. Has anyone else had a moment where a simple tip from a stranger completely changed your cuts?

Warning: Don't waste $150 on a fancy boning knife set online

I mean, I saw this ad for a set of six German steel boning knives for $150 and thought it was a steal. They looked slick with the colored handles and everything. Got them in last month and after three uses the edge was gone on two of them. Tried sharpening one on my stone and the metal just felt soft, like butter. Meanwhile my old 40 dollar Victorinox from the restaurant supply store is still going strong after five years. I ended up giving the set to a buddy who does light trimming at home and it's fine for him I guess. Has anyone else been burned by those flashy knife sets online?

The difference 6 months of dry aging made on a ribeye

Pulled a ribeye I'd dry aged for 6 months in my locker and it looked like a shriveled brick compared to a fresh cut. Lost about 30% weight but the flavor was so concentrated it tasted like beef candy. Anyone else notice how much darker the meat gets the longer you age it?

Spent $400 on a fancy dry aging fridge and I regret it

I bought one of those dedicated dry aging fridges for my shop last year. The thing cost me $400 and it breaks down every few months. I had to throw out three whole primal cuts because the temp sensor went haywire. Am I the only one who thinks a normal walk-in does the job just fine?

Hit 1,000 whole hog breakdowns today... was aiming for 500

I've been breaking down whole hogs for about 4 years now, mostly for a BBQ joint I supply. Started slow, maybe 3-4 a month. Then this year I kept a tally in my notebook just out of curiosity. Counted up this morning and I'm at 1,042 so far. Never thought I'd get there honestly. It's not like a record or anything, just a weird personal milestone that snuck up on me. The reason it matters - I can do a whole breakdown in about 12 minutes now without really thinking. Feels good to see the progress. Has anyone else had a number like that sneak up on them in their shop?

Picked an industrial bandsaw over a hand saw for breaking down primals. Still not sure I made the right call.

About a year ago I had to choose between a new Hobart bandsaw or going back to a bone saw and knife setup like my old man used. Went with the Hobart cause it was faster. Now I get cleaner cuts but I miss the feel of doing it by hand. Anyone else struggle with going electric versus sticking to the old ways?

Had a primal slip off the hook in front of a customer last Saturday

I was breaking down a half beef at the shop in Omaha and the hindquarter just slid right off the gambrel, landed on the floor with a thud. Customer watched the whole thing, laughed, and said 'guess that's why you don't work in an office'. How do you guys keep your gambrel hooks from losing grip on heavy primals?

Bone-in vs boneless for smoking: which actually tastes better?

I've been going back and forth on this for the last year. Smoked a 10 pound bone-in pork shoulder a few weeks ago and the meat was juicy and had that deep smoky flavor all the way through. Then last weekend I tried a boneless shoulder from the same supplier, same rub, same 8 hour smoke at 225. The boneless was easier to handle and sliced up cleaner but the flavor just wasn't as rich, especially near the center. My buddy swears boneless is more consistent because the heat hits even everywhere, but I think the bone adds something. Anyone else notice a big difference between the two, or am I just imagining it?

The old stainless steel block at my uncle's shop spoiled me

I worked at my uncle's shop in Des Moines for 10 years before I opened my own place. He had a 30 year old stainless steel cutting block from a hotel supplier that never got slick or dented. My new plastic cutting boards at the new shop are already gouged after 4 months. Has anyone found a source for those old style metal blocks that doesn't cost as much as a used car?

Saw a guy try to cut through a hip bone with a boning knife today

I've been a butcher for about 12 years now, started at a shop in Boise. This kid kept trying to saw through the socket joint with a thin blade instead of stepping up to a heavier cleaver or saw. It made a mess of the meat and it took him 20 minutes. When did people stop learning the right tool for the job around here?

Saw a guy at a farmer's market in Portland trimming brisket with a curved blade instead of straight

He swore by it for getting into the deckle without waste, but I've been using a straight knife for 12 years and never had a problem. Which side are you on for trimming brisket, curved or straight blade?

Appreciation post: the meat science class at Iowa State that changed how I handle primal breakdowns

Spent a Saturday at their meat lab last spring watching them break down a whole steer with ultrasound data on marbling, and now I actually trim and portion based on where the fat's distributed instead of just guessing by eye, has anyone else gone through one of those university extension programs?

Took me three tries to figure out why my grind was inconsistent

I was trying to get a consistent grind on some chuck for burgers and kept getting weird chunks in the mix. Turned out my knife was dull on one side and I never even checked it. Anybody ever fight with a grinder for way too long over something dumb like that?

PSA: My old shop in Buffalo would hang beef for 14 days max, but my new place does 28 minimum.

I thought they were crazy at first, but the flavor difference in the ribeyes is night and day. The owner showed me the humidity logs from the cooler to prove the point. Anyone else making the switch to longer dry-aging times?

Just broke down a whole hog in under 45 minutes for the first time

I've been working at Miller's Meats for about 8 months now, and my usual time was always around an hour. I finally got the flow right with my Victorinox boning knife and a fresh steel, and the clock stopped at 44 minutes. It felt like everything just clicked, from the shoulder separation to the ham removal. Has anyone else hit a personal speed record that surprised them?

Showerthought: I used to think dry aging was just for steaks

I was at a meat processing seminar in Kansas City last year and saw a demo on dry aging pork loins. The instructor aged one for 28 days and the flavor difference was huge, way more complex than fresh. I always saved that process for beef, thinking pork wouldn't hold up. Now I run a small batch of pork loins in my cooler every few months. It adds a real premium option for my regulars. Has anyone else tried dry aging different cuts beyond the usual beef primals?

I was sure those new ceramic honing rods were a gimmick, but my Victorinox boning knife stayed sharp for 3 whole weeks of service.

Has anyone else tried a ceramic rod on their work knives, or do you stick with steel?